Texas flood rescuers stunned as Greg Abbott increases missing count from 18 to over 170: 'Came as shock'

KERR COUNTY, TEXAS: In a chilling update that blindsided rescue workers on the ground, the number of people missing after the catastrophic flooding in central Texas has surged to more than 170, a sharp jump from earlier estimates of just 18.

CNN reporter Isabel Rosales shared the updated number from Texas Governor Greg Abbott during a live broadcast, shocking rescue teams who had been tirelessly searching for survivors.

Texas rescuers stunned as missing toll in devastating floods surges past 170

“What a stunning jump from 18 to over 170 missing in hard-hit Kerr County alone,” Isabel Rosales said on 'OutFront' with Erin Burnett. “It came as a shock to the volunteers who were working here.” According to Rosales, the newly reported number was unknown to many of the first responders actively engaged in search and rescue operations.

So far, the floods have claimed at least 111 lives, including 27 young girls and staff members from Camp Mystic, a private Christian summer camp in the area. Officials fear the death toll and missing persons count may rise even further as efforts continue and more remote areas are accessed.

When asked earlier about responsibility for the scale of destruction and preparedness failures, Texas Governor Greg Abbott dismissed the line of questioning, calling it “the word choice of losers.” Using a football analogy, he conceded that mistakes had been made but emphasized that state authorities were prioritizing recovery over fault-finding.

The central Texas region was pummeled by torrential rainfall, with some areas receiving over 15 inches within a matter of hours, overwhelming the region’s drainage systems and causing the Guadalupe River to breach its banks in less than an hour.

Texas flood rescue boosted with FEMA support and volunteer surge

President Donald Trump has signed a federal disaster declaration at the request of Governor Greg Abbott, enabling the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to deploy additional resources to support ongoing rescue and recovery efforts.

Officials said that continued downpours have severely hampered rescue operations, though forecasts from the National Weather Service suggest some relief arrived by July 8 evening.

FEMA teams will now work alongside hundreds of rescuers already in the field, including local first responders, state personnel, federal agencies, and a growing corps of volunteers racing to locate more than 170 people still missing in hard-hit Kerr County and surrounding areas.